Who is the quickest left armer?

Seeing Mitchell Johnson producing those deliveries at 150k kept me thinking whether I am looking at the fastest left armer in cricket.

Wasim was lot slower in his latter years, but could've been fast in his youth. But I doubt whether he could go over 150k. Brett Schultz was matching Donald with his pace, but was for a very short time.

Interesting question, only very recently have I seen Johnson make these speeds.

Seems fair enough that Wasim would've been able to reach similar sorts of speeds in the early-mid 1990s, but we'll never know for sure. Likewise, Allan Donald (still capable of 147-148kph at 32-33 years of age) surely must have been bowling at such speeds around the same time, though obviously we'll never know beyond doubt whether Schultz was the same speed.

Remarkable thing is how rare left-armers, at least, those who bowled seam rather than fingerspin, were until recently. Apart from Davidson, to find any pre-1990s I have to look, rather than just consulting the memory-bank.

Only time I saw Schultz was in SL in 1994. The wicket was very slow and low, and seamers like Matthews, McMillan were reduced to nothing. But donald and Schultz got the ball flying pass the noses of SL batsmen. In fact, Schultz looked sharper than Donald (he may have been not going at 100% due to the conditions)

Seeing Mitchell Johnson producing those deliveries at 150k kept me thinking whether I am looking at the fastest left armer in cricket.

Wasim was lot slower in his latter years, but could've been fast in his youth. But I doubt whether he could go over 150k. Brett Schultz was matching Donald with his pace, but was for a very short time.

Your views?

You're probably right. Johnson would be the fastest at the moment with RP Singh coming in at second place. RP has the ability to bowl in the low to mid 140's.

I believe that there are few quick left armers because of the fact that they have had actions sculpted agaisnt right handers which means that a large part of them either push the ball across or bowl around the body.

The speed at which a fielding team gets through the innings is overrated.

Reckon Denton still faster then Johnson and Nannes, but he is basically retired.

Would throw Thurshara up there was well, he has bowled the same speeds and at times faster then Malinga at domestic level. But since Malinga started playing international cricket he has built himself up and bowled faster and more consistent pace. Whereas Thurshara has dropped his pace for more control and consistency.

Last edited by chaminda_00; 08-03-2008 at 01:36 AM.

The man, the mountain, the Mathews. The greatest all rounder since Keith Miller. (Y)

During 1986 Pak-SRL series,when one of the Sri Lankan batsman tried to remain at the other end in order to avoid Imran Khan's lethal bouncers and reverse swinging toe crushing yorkers(Imran was very quick until 1988),he found that the other bowler was more quick than Imran.This other bowler was none other than Wasim Akram.Personally,I think he would've been as quick as 150 kph in his youth.

During 1986 Pak-SRL series,when one of the Sri Lankan batsman tried to remain at the other end in order to avoid Imran Khan's lethal bouncers and reverse swinging toe crushing yorkers(Imran was very quick until 1988),he found that the other bowler was more quick than Imran.This other bowler was none other than Wasim Akram.

Not dissimilar to the WC99 game against Scotland where the batsmen were attempting to get down Wasim's end to avoid Shoaib Akhtar.